Improvement in egg and fruit carriers



W. WEIS.

Egg and Fruit Carriers.

Patented July 14, 1874A.

JW; Z

illl 7 INVENTUR NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

lVENDELIN WEIS, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA.

IMPROVEMENT IN EGG AND FRUIT CARRIERS.

Specification forming part oi' Letters Patent N0.153,027, dated July 14,1874; application iiled f May 9, 1874.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, minimun Wins, of St. Paul, in the county of Ramsey and State ot' Minnesota, have invented a new and Improved Egg` and Fruit Carrier, of which the following is a specication:

In the accompanying drawing, Figure l represents a vertical longitudinal section of my egg-carrier on the line c c, Fig. 3, showing construction of case and arrangement ot cells 5 Fig. 2, a vertical longitudinal section of the egg-carrier, folded together for return shipment; and Fig. 3 a vertical transverse section of the carrier on the line a' a, Fig. 2.

Similar letters ot reference indicate corresponding parts.

The invention will tirst be fully described, and then pointed out in the claim.

In the drawing, Alrepresents the case o1' box of the egg or fruit carrier, in which are arranged in tiers, placed one above the other, the cells for the eggs or fruit, which are formed of wider parallel strips B, of one set, and narrower interlacin g stri ps C, ot' the other series, vertical to them. The strips B are provided with central slits a, cut in V shape, with lateral end extensions a', the width ot' whose extreme ends is equal to the width ot' the interlacing-strips C. The V-shaped slits a form tongues b, which enter with their pointed ends into small central extension recesses d ot' central slits e ot the strips (l. The width of slits c is equal to the width of the base of tongues I), so that simultaneouslyr with the introduction and slipping in of the tongues into slits c, the narrower strips enter the eX- tension-slits a', and form thus a neat, simple, and secure interlocking ot' the strips. rlhe case A consists of a bottom, l), with vertical side strips f, lateral stittening-strips f1, and corner perforations f2, outside ot' strips f1. Vertical metal bands or straps g are fastened to the underside ot' the bottom D and pass through perforations ot' the same along the stitiening-strips f1 to suitable height, being turned under a right angle at the top to form a lug or hook, g', for binding over the top or cover when the different pieces are placed thereon, as shown in Fig. 2. The longitudinal side pieces E ofthe carrier tit on the side strips f ofthe bottom, and are provided with strengthening-pieces h, to which vertical bands ld, with top and bottom hook ends are fastened. The lower ends of bands h1 pass through the bottom holes je and hook over the under side or cover G of the case is also strengzahenedv by lateral end strips i and provided with corner perforations t" for the passage ot' the benthook ends of the bands hl ot' side pieces E.

The top hooks ot' the bands'h1 at one side of Y the carrier are twisted to extend over the cover in longitudinal direction after the same is placed on the box, while the cover is tirml y bound to the hook ends at the other side b v a,

pivoted wedge-piece, H, carried under the samei'or securing thereby the rigid connection ot' all the detachable pieces when the carrier is lled with eggs. A band-spring, l, ot' the cover acts with its rounded end on acorresponding recess, l, ot' the wedge-piece H, as soon as the same is placed under the hook ends, so that piece H is secured in locked position without getting detached during transportation, and release thereby the cover. Gentral perforations i? of the cover G serve to place the same over the bands g for the return of the carrier, the pivoted wedge H securing, with the spring I, the cover G to the hook ends g1.

After the carrier has reached its destina tion, and the contents are taken out, the tiers of cells are folded together and placed with the shorter sides F suitably into the bottom D. The longer sides are then placed thereon by being slipped over bands g1 and the cover on the top thereof, to connect by the wedgepiece the whole in a secure and compact manner` ready for return shipment, as shown clearly in F1g.2. The carrier-case takes up less space and `is more completely protected against injury, so as to last longer and furnish a very convenient device for the transportation of eggs, fruit, and similar articles.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- The combination, with the described bottom,

WENDELI)T IVEIS. Y 

